Ornamental star devices



Jan. 26, 1960 N. CHUY 2,922,330

Sheets-Sheet N. CHUY ORMAMEMTAL STAR DEVICES Jan. 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1958 BY A es. Patent This invention relates to rotatable star devices for use in decorating Christmas trees and for various other displaying purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide an ornamental star of simple, durable and economical construction, `and having in connection therewith the necessary means for being easily attached thereby to a Christmas tree.

Another object of my invention is to provide said star with the necessary mechanism, disposed in its interior, for elfecting its rotation in a vertical plane on its rotative`axis.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a star with a plurality of elements operative through the rotation of said star for producing bell-like sounds of variable tones.

Still another object of my invention is to provide said star with the necessary mechanism for controlling the speed of its rotation;

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully apparent from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a fully assembled star.

Figure 2 is a side view in elevation of the fully assembled star.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 to disclose the mechanism for effecting the rotation of the star through which bell-like sounds are produced, and the arrangement for controlling the speed of said star's rotation.

Figure 4 is a fragmen-tary detail of the stars prong to disclose engagement of its Clutch for controlling the speed of its rotation.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view Of the star taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring specically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the star proper comprises a hollow casing consisting of a rear section 11 and a front section 12, a Clutch element 13, bells 14, 15, 16, and 17 respectively, a motor 18, and a hollow shaft 19 for mounting said star 011 to a Christmas tree.

Reverting to the drawings, more particularly to Figures 1' and 2, respectively,. the ornamental star consists of a hollow casing 10 of star-like formation, formed of sections 11 and 12, the central portion thereof being of globular formation for providing the necessary clearance for the motor 18 which is vertically enclosed therein, as shown in Figure 3.

The lower end of said motor 18 is provided with a hollow shaft 19 extending to the external Side of said star casing 10 through the guide bearing 20 which is an integral part of said star casing, as shown at 21 and 22 in Figures 1 and 3, respectively. A

Said motor 18has its cord extension 23, to supply electrical current thereby for its operation, assembled through 'the opening 24, passing eentrally through said shaft 19,

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and extending to the external side thereof through the opening 25 for the purpose of providing the necessary clearance between said shaft 19 and said bearing 20 when rotation of said star is etfected through the operation of said motor 18 when the terminal of said cord 23 is spliced to the source of electrical energy.

Said shaft 19 may be constructed of a llexible material such asbrass or plastic tubing having the lower portion thereof slotted as shown at 26 in Figures 1 and 3, respectively, for the purpose of facilitating an easy mounting of said star upon a Christmas tree.

While the lower end of said motor 18 s provided with said shaft 19, heretofore described, the upper end thereof has a shaft 27 extending vertically therefrom and engageable into the vertically mounted bearing 28 which provides a rotative axis to said star, said bearing 28 being supported by its bracket 29 which is welded at the extremity of the prong 30 of said star casing 10. Said bearing 28 is provided at its lower terminal with an annular disk 31 for the purpose of being frictionally engageable against the rotative annular disk 32 which is mounted on the shaft 27 of said motor 18 and is shown in Figure 3 as being disengaged from said annular disk 31 by the screw member33.

Said screw member 33 is threadedly mounted through the prong 30 of said star into the enlarged opening 34 of the bearing 28 for the purpose of raising or lowering said annular disk 31 of said bearing 28 from or against said rotatable annular disk 32 of said motor 18 to control the speed of the rotation of said star on its vertical axis through the variable friction between said disks 31 and 32.

The radially projected hollow prongs 30a, 30b, 30C, and 3061 of said star casing 10 are provided longitudinally toward their walls with bells 14, 15, 16, and 17, respectively, secured to their prong brackets, such as shown at 35, by screw members 36 to which bell sounding balls 37 are connected by their respective spring members 38. Said spring members 38 extend externally from the months of said bells 14, 15, 16, and 17 for the purpose of being alternately engageable by the stationary fingers 39 and 40, which are connected to said motor 18, to be operative thereby to ring said bells 14, 15, 16, and 17 by said balls 37 through the rotation of said star.

It will be realized that said sections 11 and 12 may be cemented or stapled, or, by the formation of spring clips in each prong thereof, not shown in drawings herein, may be Secured together to enclose the mechanism housed therein.

Various changes and modiiications are herein contemplated and may be resorted to provided, however, that such modifications and changes will fall within the scope and spirit of my invention, in which I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a Chamber of globular formation provided with a plurality of hollow prongs extending radially therefrom for providing a star-like appearance to said casing, brackets being canied by said prongs of said casing, a tubular bearing mounted to the bracket carried by one of said prongs, said casing having an opening provided with an annular ilange extending to the external side of said casing to form a second bearing in a vertically aligned position to the tubular bearing carried by the prong of said casing, an electrically powered means being housed within said globular Chamber of said casing, said electrically powered means having the upper end thereof provided with a rotatable Shaft and its lower end with a stationary hollow longitudinally slotted shaft projecting to the external side of said casing through the lower bearing thereof, said rotatable shaft of the upper end of said electrically powered means being engageable by the tubular bearing carried by the prong of said casing Patented .18.11.26, -1960,

r on a vertical axis around said elcttically powered means,

a Clutch means being carried. by said rotatable Shaft, said u i -l -means-- being engageable against a pdisk of said -tuliular bearingt, means carried .by said tubular bearing fonengaging saidclutchmeansfor controlling the speed of, rotation of said star-like casing through the friction between the-disk of said rotatable shaft of said electrically powered means, and the disk of saidtubular bearing, means being-carried by the brackets of the remaining prongs of said Star-like casing to elfect bell-like sounds through the rotationof. said casing, and means being carried by the electrically powered means to operate said bell SOundingmeansforelfecting sounds of various tonesthrough the rotation ofsaid casing on its rotative axis. g v V 72,., As in claim lin which, said clutch means consisting of a-diskmounted onto the rotat-able shaft of said electrically powered means and having a portion of, said rotatable shaft extending -therefrom for being engageable bythe central openingof said tubular bearing which is provided at its terminal with an annular ilange. of disklike formation to be engageable against the disk of said rotatable shaft for the rotationof saidstar-like casing 'through the frictiori between the rotatable disk of said rotatable shaft and the stationary disk of said tubular bearing when rotation of said rotatable shaft is elfected by the electrically powered means. V

3. As in claim 1 in which, said means for engaging said clutch means for controlling the speed of rotation of said star-like casing being a screw threadedly mounted into the upper, opening of said tubular bearing and exthe terminal of said rotatable shaft for raisingor lc'merlng the disk of said tubular bearing from or against the rotatable disk of said rotatable shaft of said electrically powered means for reduction or increment offriction thereinbetween for elfecting Slower or faster rotation of said star-like casing.

4- As in claim 1 in which, said means for elfecting bell-like Sounds consisting of aplurality of bells mounted to the brackets of said prongs and having their threats facing said electrically powered means, said bells having flexible Wires -mounted ceritrally 'thei'einand' projecting, externally therefrom to the radial point of said globular center of said star-like casing, said wires having balls attached thereto for elfecting bell-like sounds when impacted against the walls of said bells.

5. As in claim 1 in which, said means to operate said bell-sounding means being fingers mounted onto said v electrically powered means and in--a positivo lofn being tending suliiciently in depth to form a vertical restagainst References Cited in the le of thispatent UN TE STATES P TENT Keydal Julie- 29, 1926 1,590,524 2,092,520 Nielsen Sept. 7, 1937 2,228,437

Blana---- Jan. 14,19%- FOREIGN PATENTS V i """'.'t'"' 'F f" 

